Sowiththisconsciousnessshehadearlydeterminedthatherbeautyshouldmakeheralady；therankshecovetedthemoreforherfather’sabusetheranktowhichshefirmlybelievedherlostAuntEstherhadarrived。Now，whileaservantmustoftendrudgeandbedirty，mustbeknownasherservantbyallwhovisitedathermaster’shouse，adressmaker’sapprenticemustorsoMarythoughtbealwaysdressedwithacertainregardtoappearance；
mustneversoilherhands，andneedneverreddenordirtyherfacewithhardlabour。BeforemytellingyousotrulywhatfollyMaryfeltorthought，injuresherwithoutredemptioninyouropinion，thinkwhatarethesillyfanciesofsixteenyearsofageineveryclass，andunderallcircumstances。
Theendofallthethoughtsoffatheranddaughterwas，asIsaidbefore，Marywastobeadressmaker；andherambitionpromptedherunwillingfathertoapplyatallthefirstestablishments，toknowonwhattermsofpainstakingandzealhisdaughtermightbeadmittedintoeversohumbleaworkwoman’ssituation。Buthighpremiumswereaskedatall；poorman!hemighthaveknownthatwithoutgivingupaday’sworktoascertainthefact。Hewouldhavebeenindignant，indeed，hadheknownthatifMaryhadaccompaniedhim，thecasemighthavebeenratherdifferent，asherbeautywouldhavemadeherdesirableasashow-woman。Thenhetriedsecond-rateplaces；atallthepaymentofasumofmoneywasnecessary，andmoneyhehadnone。
Disheartenedandangryhewenthomeatnight，declaringitwastimelost；
thatdressmakingwasatalleventsatroublesomebusiness，andnotworthlearning。Marysawthatthegrapesweresour，andthenextdayshesetoutherself，asherfathercouldnotaffordtoloseanotherday’swork；
andbeforenightasyesterday’sexperiencehadconsiderablyloweredherideasshehadengagedherselfasapprenticesocalled，thoughtherewerenodeedsorindenturestothebondtoacertainMissSimmonds，millineranddressmaker，inarespectablelittlestreetleadingoffArdwickGreen，whereherbusinesswasdulyannouncedingoldlettersonablackground，enclosedinabird’s-evemapleframe，andstuckinthefrontparlourwindow；
wheretheworkwomenwerecalled“heryoungladies“；andwhereMarywastoworkfortwoyearswithoutanyremuneration，onconsiderationofbeingtaughtthebusiness；andwhereafterwardsshewastodineandhavetea，withasmallquarterlysalarypaidquarterlybecausesomuchmoregenteelthanbyweek，averysmallone，divisibleintoaminuteweeklypittance。Insummershewastobetherebysix，bringingherday’smealsduringthefirsttwoyears；inwintershewasnottocometillafterbreakfast。
HertimeforreturninghomeatnightmustalwaysdependuponthequantityofworkMissSimmondshadtodo。AndMarywassatisfied；andseeingthis，herfatherwascontentedtoo，althoughhiswordsweregrumblingandmorose；butMaryknewhisways，andcoaxedandplannedforthefuturesocheerily，thatbothwenttobedwitheasyifnothappyhearts。
Toenvynoughtbeneaththeamplesky；Tomournnoevildeed，nohourmisspent；Andlikealivingviolet，silentlyReturninsweetstoHeavenwhatgoodnesslent，Thenbendbeneaththechasteningshowercontent。ELLIOTT。Anotheryearpassedon。ThewavesoftimeseemedlongsincetohavesweptawayalltraceofpoorMaryBarton。Butherhusbandstillthoughtofher，althoughwithacalmandquietgrief，inthesilentwatchesofthenight：
andMarywouldstartfromherhard-earnedsleep，andthink，inherhalf-dreamy，half-awakenedstate，shesawhermotherstandbyherbedside，assheusedtodo“inthedaysoflongago“；withashadedcandleandanexpressionofineffabletenderness，whileshelookedonhersleepingchild。ButMaryrubbedhereyesandsankbackonherpillow，awake，andknowingitwasadream；andstill，inallhertroublesandperplexities，herheartcalledonhermotherforaid，andshethought，“Ifmotherhadbutlived，shewouldhavehelpedme。“Forgettingthatthewoman’ssorrowsarefarmoredifficulttomitigatethanachild’s，evenbythemightypowerofamother’slove；
andunconsciousofthefact，thatshewasfarsuperiorinsenseandspirittothemothershemourned。AuntEstherwasstillmysteriouslyabsent，andpeoplehadgrownwearyofwondering，andbegantoforget。Bartonstillattendedhisclub，andwasanactivememberofatrades’union；indeed，morefrequentlythanever，sincethetimeofMary’sreturnintheeveningwassouncertain；and，assheoccasionally，inverybusytimes，remainedallnight。HischiefestfriendwasstillGeorgeWilson，althoughhehadnogreatsympathyonthequestionsthatagitatedBarton’smind。Buttheirheartswereboundbyoldtiestooneanother，andtheremembranceofformerthingsgaveanunspokencharmtotheirmeetings。Ouroldfriend，thecub-likelad，JemWilson，hadshotupintothepowerful，well-madeyoungman，withasensiblefaceenough；nay，afacethatmighthavebeenhandsome，haditnotbeenhereandtheremarkedbythesmallpox。Heworkedwithoneofthegreatfirmsofengineers，whosendfromouttheirtownsofworkshopsenginesandmachinerytothedominionsoftheCzarandtheSultan。HisfatherandmotherwereneverwearyofpraisingJem，atallwhichcommendationprettyMaryBartonwouldtossherhead，seeingclearlyenoughthattheywishedhertounderstand’whatagoodhusbandhewouldmake，andtofavourhislove，aboutwhichheneverdaredtospeak，whatevereyesandlooksrevealed。Oneday，intheearlywintertime，whenpeoplewereprovidedwithwarmsubstantialgowns，notlikelysoontowearout，andwhen，accordingly，businesswasratherslackatMissSimmonds’，MarymetAliceWilson，cominghomefromherhalf-day’sworkatsometradesman’shouse。MaryandAlicehadalwayslikedeachother；indeed，Alicelookedwithparticularinterestonthemotherlessgirl，thedaughterofherwhoseforgivingkisshadcomfortedherinmanysleeplesshours。Sotherewasawarmgreetingbetweenthetidyoldwomanandthebloomingyoungwork-girl；andthenAliceventuredtoaskifshewouldcomeinandtakeherteawithherthatveryevening。“You’llthinkitdullenoughtocomejusttositwithanoldwomanlikeme，butthere’satidyyounglassaslivesinthefloorabove，whodoesplainwork，andnowandthenabitinyourownline，Mary；she’sgrand-daughtertooldJobLegh，aspinner，andagoodgirlsheis。Docome，Mary；I’veaterriblewishtomakeyouknowntoeachother。She’sagenteel-lookingass，too。“AtthebeginningofthisspeechMaryhadfearedtheintendedvisitorwastobenootherthanAlice’snephew；butAlicewastoodelicate-mindedtoplanameeting，evenforherdearJem，whenonewouldhavebeenanunwillingparty；andMary，relievedfromherapprehensionbytheconclusion，gladlyagreedtocome。HowbusyAlicefelt!itwasnotoftenshehadanyonetotea；andnowhersenseofthedutiesofahostesswerealmosttoomuchforher。Shemadehastehome，andlightedtheunwillingfire，borrowingapairofbellowstomakeitburnthefaster。Forherselfshewasalwayspatient；sheletthecoalstaketheirtime。Thensheputonherpattens，andwenttofillherkettleatthepumpinthenextcourt，andonthewaysheborrowedacup；ofoddsaucersshehadplenty，servingasplateswhenoccasionrequired。Halfanounceofteaandaquarterofapoundofbutterwentfartoabsorbhermorning’swages；butthiswasanunusualoccasion。
Ingeneral，sheusedherb-teaforherself，whenathome，unlesssomethoughtfulmistressmadeapresentoftea-leavesfromhermoreabundanthousehold。
Thetwochairsdrawnoutforvisitors，anddulysweptanddusted；anoldboardarrangedwithsomeskillupontwooldcandle-boxessetonendratherrickety，tobesure，butsheknewtheseatofold，andwhentositlightly；
indeedthewholeaffairwasmoreforapparentdignityofpositionthanforanyrealease；alittle，verylittleroundtable，putjustbeforethefire，whichbythistimewasblazingmerrily；herunlacquered，ancient，third-handtea-trayarrangedwithablacktea-pot，twocupswitharedandwhitepattern，andonewiththeoldfriendlywillowpattern，andsaucers，nottomatchononeoftheextrasupplythelumpofbutterflourishedaway；allthesepreparationscomplete，Alicebegantolookaboutherwithsatisfaction，andasortofwonderwhatmorecouldbedonetoaddtothecomfortoftheevening。Shetookoneofthechairsawayfromitsappropriateplacebythetable，andputtingitclosetothebroadlargehangingshelfItoldyouaboutwhenIfirstdescribedhercellar-dwelling，andmountingonit，shepulledtowardsheranolddealbox，andtookthenceaquantityoftheoatbreadofthenorth，theclap-breadofCumberlandandWestmoreland，anddescendingcarefullywiththethincakes，threateningtobreaktopiecesinherhand，sheplacedthemonthebaretable，withthebeliefthathervisitorswouldhaveanunusualtreatineatingthebreadofherchildhood。
Shebroughtoutagoodpieceofafour-poundloafofcommonhouseholdbreadaswell，andthensatdowntorest，reallytorest，andnottopretend，ononeoftherush-bottomedchairs。Thecandlewasreadytobelighted，thekettleboiled，theteawasawaitingitsdoominitspaperparcel；allwasready。Aknockatthedoor!ItwasMargaret，theyoungworkwomanwholivedintheroomsabove，whohavingheardthebustle，andthesubsequentquiet，begantothinkitwastimetopayhervisitbelow。Shewasasallow，unhealthy，sweet-lookingyoungwoman，withacarewornlook；herdresswashumbleandverysimple，consistingofsomekindofdarkstuffgown，herneckbeingcoveredbyadrabshawlorlargehandkerchief，pinneddownbehindandatthesidesinfront。Theoldwomangaveheraheartygreeting，andmadehersitdownonthechairshehadjustleft，whileshebalancedherselfontheboardseat，inorderthatMargaretmightthinkitwasquiteherfreeandindependentchoicetositthere。“IcannotthinkwhatkeepsMaryBarton。She’squitegrandwithherlatehours，“saidAlice，asMarystilldelayed。Thetruthwas，Marywasdressingherself；yes，tocometopooroldAlice’s——shethoughtitworthwhiletoconsiderwhatgownsheshouldputon。ItwasnotforAlice，however，youmaybeprettysure；no，theykneweachothertoowell。ButMarylikedmakinganimpression，andinthisitmustbeownedshewasprettyoftengratified——andtherewasthisstrangegirltoconsiderjustnow。Sosheputonherprettynewbluemerino，madetighttoherthroat，herlittlelinencollarandlinencuffs，andsalliedforthtoimpresspoorgentleMargaret。Shecertainlysucceeded。Alice，whoneverthoughtmuchaboutbeauty，hadnevertoldMargarethowprettyMarywas；and，asshecameinhalf-blushingatherownself-consciousness，Margaretcouldhardlytakehereyesoffher，andMaryputdownherlongblacklasheswithasortofdislikeoftheveryobservationshehadtakensuchpainstosecure。
CanyoufancythebustleofAlicetomaketheteatoouritout，andsweetenittotheirliking，tohelpandhelpagaintoclap-breadandbread-and-butter？
Canyoufancythedelightwithwhichshewatchedherpiled-upclap-breaddisappearbeforethehungrygirls，andlistenedtothepraisesofherhome-remembereddainty？“Mymotherusedtosendmesomeclap-breadbyanynorth-countryperson——blessher!Sheknewhowgoodsuchthingstastewhenfarawayfromhome。Notbutwhateveryonelikesit。WhenIwasinservicemyfellow-servantswerealwaysgladtosharewithme。Eh，it’salongtimeago，yon。““Dotellusaboutit，Alice，“saidMargaret。“Why，lass，there’snothingtotell。Therewasmoremouthsathomethancouldbefed。Tom，that’sWill’sfatheryoudon’tknowWill，buthe’sasailortoforeignparts，hadcometoManchester，andsentwordwhatterriblelotsofworkwastobehad，bothforladsandlasses。SofathersentGeorgefirstyouknowGeorge，wellenough，Mary，andthenworkwasscarceouttowardBurton，wherewelived，andfathersaidImauntryandgetaplace。AndGeorgewroteashowwageswerefarhigherinManchesterthanMilnthorpeorLancaster；and，lasses，Iwasyoungandthoughtless，andthoughtitwasafinethingtogosofarfromhome。So，oneday，th’